Intercontinental Hotels Grand Intercontinental Seoul

... the flying kicks, board chopping and kicking, punches and all. In between the Taekwondo performance was mini dance performances by the Korean National Dance Group. I recommend anyone visiting Seoul to visit the palace or the Kukkiwon to experience this performance. Its free and its worth all the time. I was blown away by the poomse performance especially which inspired me to this day to get my black belt, as you can see in this video clip ...

... him go but again it's the nature of the beast. I told my grade one students that I would not be their teacher next year and little Emily wondered why?

"Well I'm going to go traveling and then go back to Canada."

"But when will you come back?" she queried.

As a student of mine for two years now those words kinda broke my heart. It's going to be rough for me to leave but I need to go. Not out of escape or unhappiness but out ...

... side of the table/room was North Korean side and the South was the South Korean side.  In the middle of the table there were speakers that symbolized the 38th parallel.  We were able to walk on the North Korean side of the room and take pictures with a soldier.  We were not allowed to walk in front of or behind this soldier.  So, I stepped inside North Korea!  Crazy!  After this we stopped at a small souvenir shop outside of the army base and I bought a Korea patch!  I ...

I woke up early. It's a habit of mine. Even if I am on vacation, I'll wake up early. Especially if there are other people up. But I was able to rest this day. Just take it easy. I just read and watched TV and just relaxed with the host family. They are a good family...so it is just fun hanging out with them.

Around 2 pm, I left the house. I needed to buy some dress clothes for when I start teaching on July 23rd, so I ...

... so fun! Anyway, this makes traveling much more convenient. Oh, yes, drinking on the streets is totally cool in Korean! Believe me....I take advantage of that! Ha! Next, our number one fall back bar......Go Go's. It is a pretty chill place on the second floor. Mind the stairs!!! They look epic! Okay, once inside there is a tiny dance floor which is up close and personal with both the dj and the bar ...

... Girls, and Backstreet Boys. Surprizingly, there were also a ton of new hits like Kanye and Katy Perry. I was so resistant at first! I was like "hell no! I am not singing in front of all these people!" Then, as I was watching the rest of them singing I realized two things: (1) not a single one of them sing all that well and (2) half the time they didn't know the lyrics to the song even though they were written right there on the ...

... feeling relaxed, so that they contribute more in class... Perhaps now is as good a time as any to describe what typically makes up a working week at my academy: Monday and Tuesday Both days are devoted to 'speaking' tasks, which involves giving the students questions to answer, then analysing their responses. They are working towards the TOEFL test which has independent and integrated questions, requiring them to speak for 45 and 60 seconds respectively. My job is to refine their ...

... have a toque for eternity, much like a warrior is buried with its armor or a pharaoh with their gold. Of course the sad thing is you might have a toque that you really like or even love and lose it by not being mindful. Some might have a toque that is stolen from their grasp. One might have a toque that ages and is destined for an end to which brings great sadness. But don't worry if you have ever had a toque that has fallen to mishap for there ...

... to Seoul remains my favourite place in the city. Plus it is the residence of two dogs and a lovely lady called Mija.

The palaces I visited were fantastic (I'll take my fortifications in any manner I can, just call me "fort floozy"). A garden of one of the palaces was where a scene from Jewel of the Palace (hideously famous Korean soap opera) was shot. I recognised it immediately, much to the amusement of the guide, who couldn't figure out how a Westerner would know about the soap ...